damage from wreck

[92xjsp]

Well it happened, every beater’s nightmare, somebody ran into me and caused more body damage than my XJ is officially “worth.” So they’re going to total it and I’m gonna buy it back and so I get a few hundred bucks and then I need to get it fixed.

My question is, what kind of real mechanical damage am I probably looking at (I don’t care about the body, I can live with bolting on different color salvage body parts). Also, can somebody give me some hints on what to look for on each possible problem so I can do a quick eval when I’m negotiating with the insurance guy in the next couple of days.

The other car hit me square on the right rear corner. I was stopped, waiting to turn, and he hit me at about 40 MPH. (The a-hole actually swerved around two other cars that were stopped behind me so he could hit me – how’s that for luck?) He broke my right-rear wheel, bent it up and broke off pieces, and destroyed the bumper area and bent up the bottom of the hatch.

Obviously, first thing is the frame’s probably tweaked, but the doors still open and shut (with difficulty – they used to be so smooth). Any axle or drive train damage? How would I know from a quick look? At a minimum all the brake parts are probably screwed up and unusable. I have a trailer hitch installed, could some of the support for that be messed up? Gas tank dented? Not much else in that right rear area, right?

Any suggestions on things that might be damaged and what to look for would be appreciated. Also advice on how best to repair it, if you have special knowledge or have done it before. I’ve got the FSM and other manuals for my year.

 

[XJPhoenix]

Some thoughts on damaged sections...

Framerails/Unibody - The rear section where the hitch mounts may be torn or at least tweaked. Since the rails are tied together through the roof, floor & rear hitch you may have some 'twist' in the body. Check to see if the Jeep is still square by measuring areas like right rear forward spring mount to left front lower control arm mount, and then do the opposite and compare the results. If they're the same, the body is relatively straight. If it isn't straight, then you're pretty much boned. (Jeep will 'crab' down the road instead of driving straight.) The body/frame has been deformed enough to change the alignment of the openings (doors, hatch, etc...) so it doesn't sound good.

Suspension - If the wheel took enough damage to break, then a lot of energy would have been put through your springs. Check the main leaf for cracks, spring mounts to make certain they're intact, and finally eye up the spring packs to see if they're bent.

Axle - I'm of the opinion that it'll be toast. The shaft will probably be bent, the bearings damaged, and the housing will likely be tweaked as well. Cheaper & easier to replace it.

I could go on, but I am no expert. I honestly think the Jeep is toast, and isn't much good except for a bush-beater at this point. You'll spend more straightening the body, and it will never be the same as it was before the crash. I'd just buy another XJ, and salvage as many parts off this one as you can.

 

[92xjsp]

If it isn't straight, then you're pretty much boned. (Jeep will 'crab' down the road instead of driving straight.)

Yeow, that doesn't sound good. Thanks for the info, that's the kind of thing I need to know right now.

If it's that bad, then I guess I need to buy another one and use this one for parts. The thing is, I replaced the engine 75K ago and it runs sweet, so I pretty much have to buy it back for that. So I need to find another old model XJ with a solid body but a bad engine.

Now I'm not sure if I should document the engine work for the insurance company. Conceivably that could add more to the salvage value than it adds to the running value.

What other years will a 92 4.0 HO engine swap straight into? Just 92-96?

 

[XJPhoenix]

The 92 H.O. should be compatible with anything from 1991-1994 or 1995, they went to OBD II in 1996 I think. There may be slight differences in sensors/plugs, but the hardware (cylinder head, block, accessories, etc...) should be the same. In 1996 though, a lot of things changed.

Someone with more knowledge than me will hopefully chime in and give you some better info. I'd buy it back, and either sell the good stuff, or use it on your next rig. Looking for one with a bad engine might not be such a good idea; it can also leave you open for something else the previous owner damaged/neglected.

 

[92xjsp]

Hmmm, slim pickings around Memphis area for 91-95 cherokees - not many in other years even. Haven't heard back from the insur co but the more I read, the more sure I am the frame is going to be toast with that kind of hit. Wow, this really sucks.

Anybody interesting in buying a 1992 Jasper-remanufactured engine with 75K miles that runs great? 1992 Parts jeep thrown in with the deal. Any guesses how much I might get for that?